Aerator



Sept. 1, 1959 H. sHAMEs ETAI. 2,902,224

AERATOR Original Filed May 6, 1954 United States Patent O AERATOR Harold Shames, New York, and Sidney J. Shames, Ardsley, N.Y.

Original application May 6, 1954, Serial No. 427,925. Divided and this application August 114, 1957, Serial No. 678,121

6 Claims. (Cl. 239-431) This invention relates to a device for aerating liquids and more particularly to a water aerator.

This application is a division of our co-pending application Serial No. 427,925, iiled May 6, 1954, said copending application being a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 279,984, iiled April 2, 1952, and now issued as Patent No. 2,707,624.

Heretofore, liquid aerators such as household water faucet aerators have been constructed in such a manner as to spray the water either indiscriminately, or in a direction primarily downstream, axially of the aerator, into a region which is vented to the atmosphere. The reduced air pressure, in said region into which the water is sprayed, is sufficient to aspirate air into the aerator. Means are then provided downstream of the aspirating region for breaking up the water spray and for mixing the Water 'and air into a stream of bubbles. These means are generally in the form of screens such as shown in Aghnides 2,210,846 and 2,316,832. The screens are for intimately mixing the air with the water prior to the issuing of the aerated fluid lfrom the aerator. In Aghnides 2,316,832 additional foraminous members are positioned in the water stream upstream of the aspirating chamber.

We have found that the aspirating action which is btained by means of streams or jets of liquid directed generally downstream, axially of the aerator, can be greatly improved by causing the liquid to be dispersed initially in directions generally transverse to the axis of the aerator. We have also found that the initial dispersal or splashing of the liquid in directions transverse to the axis of the aerator brings about an improved mixing of the liquidl and air without the necessity of employing screens. We have also determined that by incorporating a flow straightening means downstream of our improved liquidair mixer, we may achieve a very simple and inexpensive commercial aerator of reduced length.

Thus, one of the objects of this invention is to provide an aerator for liquid, wherein improved aeration is obtained by dispersing the liquid primarily in directions generally transverse to the axis of the aerator.

A further object of this invention is to provide an aerator for liquids which has a mixing chamber in which the liquid is dispersed primarily in directions generally transverse to the axis of the aerator, and with means downstream of said mixing chamber for thereafter straightening the flow of the aerated liquid.

One of the major objections to the type of aerators heretofore developed pertains to the useof screens or perforated plates either upstream or downstream of the aspirating chamber in the aerator. These perforated platesfand screens have a tendency to clog up with impurities carried by either the liquid or by the aspirated air. The clogging of the perforated plates and screens results in reduced ow of the liquid and with consequent reduced etliciency of aeration. ln severe cases, the aerator is rendered entirely useless by being plugged up by the impurities. A

Even in those cases where eiforts have been made to 2,902,224 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 eliminate the downstream screens, the problem exists with respect to the upstream screen or perforated plate through which the liquid passes, which upstream plate or screen is for the purpose of providing jets of liquid within the aerating chamber.

Thus, still another object of this invention is to provide an aerator for liquids having liquid restricting orifices formed by mating surfaces of a plurality of separable members, which orifices are maintained clear of impurities, whereby there is no reduction in the quantity of liquid ow which the aerator is adapted to accommodate.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an aerator for liquids wherein foraminous members which are subject to clogging by impurities are eliminated.

And another object of this invention is to provide an aerator for liquids adapted to be cleaned of ow restricting impurities without disassembling said aerator or ref moving it from its operative environs.

And a further object of this invention is to provide a self-.cleaning aerator for liquids. j

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In the parent patent application, Serial No. 279,984, now issued as Patent 2,707,624, of which this application is a division, the invention there disclosed and claimed was directed to a sub-combination of elements, many of which are included in the form of the device disclosed herein. Claim l of the issued Patent 2,707,624 is directed to the sub-combination which, stated briey, included (l) a barrel; (2) means within the barrel for breaking up the flow of liquid and for mixing the liquid with air, said means including an annular member and a plug member positioned centrally thereof wherein portions of the annular member and plug member cooperate to divide the incoming water into a plurality of streams; (3) said annular member having a conical portion which cooperates with the disc portion of the plug member to j direct the streams of water and to define a limiting size of the convergingly directed water jets, which permit of partial blocking of the stream forming elements without affecting 'the limited size of the water jets; and (4) a splash member downstream of the jet-forming means positioned to have the convergingly directed jets converge thereagainst. v

This novel subcombination, is also claimed in combination with additional features disclosed in said patent, and some of these additional features are also found in the entire combination disclosed in the instant application. For example, claim 3 of Patent 2,707,624 specifies that the maximum dimension of the splash member is smaller than the minimum diameter of the conical surface portion of the ring member. This feature permits passage of the splash member through the ring member and permits of the separation of the plug member from mixing passageway for the liquid and airwhich extends downstream from the downstream end of the annular ring, and said mixing passageway is dened as having a region of minimum cross-section area spaced downstream from the downstream end of the annular ring and spaced upstream from the downstream end of the barrel, and the cross-section area of the mixing passageway at the downstream end of the barrel is `defined as being greater than said minimum cross-section area.

There is specifically disclosed, in Patent 2,707,624, as alternative constructions, that the annular ring may be constructed either separable from the barrel or inseparable from the barrel (Figure l5 of Patent 2,707,624). Obviously, when the annular ring is separable from the barrel, the aerator includes three parts, namely abarrel, annular ring, and plug member; and when the annular ring is linseparable from the barrel, then there aregtwo parts, namely a barrel-plus-annular-ring combinatiomand a plug member.

The -instant invention is directed to a speciiic aerator construction combination wherein the aerator includes therein certain of the sub-combination elements that are disclosed and claimed in Patent'2,707,624. The instant.

invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a vertical axial cross-section view of the specific aerator, and Figure 2 is a view looking upwardly toward the aerator shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the figures, there is shown an aerator, generally indictated at 10, which includes a barrel, or casing, 12, an annular ring 14 in the casing, and a center plug 16. The annular ring 14, as shown, includes a central cylindrical portion 13 and an upper out-turned ange portion 20 which is supported on a shoulder 22 formed in the inner periphery of the barrel 12. The ring 14 also includes a lower portion 24 disposed downstream of the cylindrical portion 22. The center plug 16 includes an upper disc portion 26 which is provided with teeth 28 which cooperate with the adjacent'surface of cylindrical portion 18 of the annular ring 14 to form flow passageways, and the lower portion 24 of the annular ring 14, located below the disc portion 26 of the plug member 16, is provided with fluid directing surfaces 30 located downstream of said ow passageways.

The lower portion of the center plug 16 includes an upper umbrella-shaped portion 32 having a convexly curved outer surface 34, as shown, which serves as a splash surface. The jets of liquid directed by the surfaces 30 of the ring 14 impinge upon and are reflected from the splash surface 34 into the aerating chamber or region 36 where mixing of the liquid and air takes place. Thereafter, as the aerated liquid passes downstream, it passes a constriction formed by the tapering inner surface 38 of the barrel and a lower umbrella-shaped portion 40 formed integral with the center plug 16. After the aerated liquid passes the constriction in the How passageway, the flow passageway enlarges in area, below the lower umbrella-shaped portion 40, as can be seen.

The aerator shown in Figure 1 is also equipped, in the same manner as shown Vin Figure l2 of Patent 2,707,624 of which this application is a division thereof, with an anti-splash screen 42 at the outlet end of the barrel which is secured in position by means of a ring 44 which clamps the screen against a shoulder 46 formed at the Outlet end of the barrel. The shoulder 46 is circumferential and extends radially inwardly, as can be seen in the figures. The screen 42 has a central aperture 4S thereln, through which extends the downwardly depend- 1ng stem 50 of the center plug 16. The downwardly depending stem extends below the lower end of the aerator barrel and, as seen in Figure l, terminates closely adjacent screen 42, and affords means for manipulating the center plug 16 upwardly so as to unseat the teeth 28V from the annular ring 12, thus enlarging the o'w passageways formedtherebetween, so as to permit flushing out of any-impurities which may tend to clog said flow passageways. Y

The screen 42slopes downwardly toward its central portion so that dirt and other impurities that do not pass through the screen'fall downhill toward the central aperture 48through which they may pass. It is evident that the stem 50 may be manipulated by any appropriate instrument to move upwardly a distance sufficient toclear aperture 48,V so that debris may pass Vout throu h ture 48.v g aper It will be seen in the drawing that the inlet end of the casing is threaded, and that the ring 44 and inwardly extending shoulder 46 at the outlet end of the casing cooperate to dene a restricted fluid outlet from the device, wherein said restricted fluid outlet is downstream of the enlargement in the annular mixing passageway which is located downstream of the lower umbrellashaped portion 46 of the plug member. Also, the stem 50 of the plug 16 is of reduced size relative to the portions of the plug 16 upwardly thereof, and said stem extends downstream co-axially into the constricted outlet of the device.

Further, it will be seen that the lower portion 24of the ring 14 is spaced inwardly from, but closely adjacent, the casing wall, and said lower portion 24 of ring 14 extends below the air ports 52 in the casing and is interposed between the upper umbrella 32, having the convexly curved splash surface 34 thereon, and the air ports 52 which are formed in the barrel of the aerator, and shields each from the other. It will be evident from the drawing that plug 16 is an integral unit removable from the remainder of the aerator and is detachably seated on the upper end portion of the lower portion 24 of ring 14, and that both the upper axial portion of lower portion 24 and the disc portion 26 of plug 16 are positioned above the lowermost extent of the air ports 52 inthe casing 12.

upper umbrella portion 32 of the plug member and is reduced-in size relative to said disc and upper umbrella portion, is of much greater cross-section area than the metering cross-section area defined between the disc portion 26 of the plug member 16 and the conical surface portion 30 of the lower portion 24 of the ring member 14, so that said annular space is never filled with liquid.

It will be seen that the -ring 44 which clamps the screen against the shoulder 46 of the barrel is circular in cross-section. Considering the cooperation of the ring 44 withthe Vscreen 42 and the casing 12, it will be evident-that the lower axial end of the ring 44 engages the screen 42, for clamping the screen against the shoulder 46, and that a portion of ring 44, axial upwardly of the rings Screen engaging portion, extends radially outwardly to frictionally engage the inner periphery of the casing 12. Furthermore, the inner surface portion of ring 44 is spaced radially inwardly from the casing 12 and is exposed to the passage thereover of the iiuidsl passing through the aerator, and provides a surface against which the water may strike `and be broken up.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A liquid aerator comprising a barrel having its upstream end adapted for connection to a source of liquid, said barrel having air inlets therein, means within said barrel for breaking up the ilow of liquid passing therethrough and for mixing the liquid with lair ingested through said air inlets, whereby the liquid issuing from the downstream end of the barrel has small bubbles disseminated throughout, said means including a pair of members having adjacent mating surfaces which form liquid ow passageways therebetween, one of said members adapted to be moved apart from the other member, whereby the Surfaces of said members which are adapted to mate to form said liquid ow passageways are exposed, to be ushedby liquid passing, through the ,aera- The upper umbrella 32 dependsy below lower shield portion 24 of ring 14. Also, the

tor, a 'screen positioned across the barrel downstream of said pair of members, said screen having an enlarged aperture therein, and said screen sloping downward to its lowest portions at the edges of said enlarged aperture, whereby impurities that do not pass said screen roll downward to pass through said enlarged aperture when said stem has been raised sut`n`ciently to open the said aperture.

2. A liquid aerator comprising a barrel having its upstream end adapted for connection to a source of liquid, said barrel having air inlets therein, means within said barrel for breaking up the ilow of liquid passing therethrough and for mixing the liquid with air ingested through said air inlets, wherebyv the liquid issuing from the downstream end of the barrel has small bubbles disseminated throughout, said means including a pair of members having adjacentvrnating surfaces which form liquid ow passageways therebetween, one of said members adapted to be moved apart from the other member, whereby the surfaces of said members which are adapted to mate to form said liquid ow passageways are exposed, to be flushed by liquid passing through the aerator, a screen positioned across the barrel downstream of said pair of members, said screen having an enlarged aperture therein, a stem extending downstream from said one member and through said enlarged aperture in said screen and adapted to be manipulated to move said one member apart from said `other member, and said screen sloping downward to its lowest portions at the edges of said enlarged aperture, whereby impurities that do not pass said screen roll downward to pass through said enlarged aperture when said stem has -been raised sufficiently to open the said aperture.

3. A liquid aerator which may be ushed of liquidborne debris without disconnecting the yaerator from a source of liquid to which the aerator connects, said aerator comprising, in combination, an elongated casing having its upstream end adapted for connection to a source of liquid, jet-forming means within said casing for forming the ow of liquid passing therethrough into jets and for mixing the liquid with air that is aspirated into the casing, said jet-forming means including an outer annular member stationed in said casing and an axially movable inner member which, when in operative condition, is supported only by said outer annular member, said inner and outer members having complementary surfaces which, when said inner member is in a rst position, define relatively restricted jet-forming liquid ow passageways therebetween, said inner member being movable rectilinearly to a second position where said inner member is spaced from said outer member :and from said casing to provide a relatively large and relatively unobstructed annular flow passageway between said inner and outer members, whereby said complementary surfaces are exposed to be flushed by liquid passing through the aerator, and an elongated stern operatively associated at one end thereof with said inner member and having its other end projecting outwardly of the downstream end of said casing and adapted to be selectively manually manipulated from exteriorly of said casing to move said inner member rectilinearly from said iirst position to said second position.

4. A liquid aerator which may be flushed of liquidborne debris without disconnecting the aerator from a source of liquid to which the aerator connects, said aerator comprising, in combination, an elongated casing having its upstream end adapted for connection to a source of liquid, jet-forming means within said casing for forming the ow of liquid passing therethrough into jets and for mixing the liquid with air that is aspirated into the casing, said jet-forming means including an outer annular member stationed in said casing and an axially movable inner member which, when in operative condition, is supported only by said outer annular member, said inner and outer members having complementary surfaces which, when said inner member is in a rst position, define relatively restricted jet-forming liquid ilow passageways therebetween, said inner member being movablevrectilinearly to a second position where said inner member is spaced from said outer member and from said casing to provide a relatively large and relatively unobstructed annular flow passageway between said inner and outer members, whereby said complementary surfaces are exposed to be ushed by liquid passing through the aerator, an elongated stem operatively associated at one end thereof with said inner member and having its other end projecting outwardly of the downstream end of said casing and adapted to be selectively manually manipulated from exteriorly of said casing to move said inner member rectilinearly from said irst position to said second position, an -annular screen carried by said casing and spaced downstream of said inner and outer members, and said elongated stem slidably extending through the central aperture of said annular screen and adapted to be manipulated from downstream of said screen.

5. A liquid aerator which may be ushed of liquidborne debris without disconnecting the aerator from Ia source of liquid to which the aerator connects, said aerator comprising, in combination, an elongated casing having its upstream end adapted for connection to a source of liquid, jet-forming means within said casing for forming the iiow of liquid passing therethrough into jets and for mixing the liquid with air that is aspirated into the casing, said jet-forming means including an outer annular member stationed in said casing and an axially movable inner member which, when in operative condition, is supported only by said outer annular member, said inner and outer members having complementary surfaces which, when said inner member is in a iirst position, define relatively restricted jet-forming liquid ow passageways therebetween, said inner member being movable rectilinearly to a second position where said inner member is spaced from said outer member and from said casing to provide a relatively large and relatively unobstructed annular flow passageway between said inner and outer members, whereby said complementary surfaces are exposed to be ushed by liquid passing through the aerator, break-up means within said casing downstream of said complementary surfaces and upstream of the outlet end of said casing and against which the iiow of liquid jets issuing from said liquid flow passageways is caused to strike to effect break-up of the liquid and mixing of air with liquid, an annular screen carried by said casing and spaced downstream of said inner and outer members and of said break-up means, and an elongated stem slidably extending through the central aperture of said annular screen and being operatively associated at one end thereof with said inner member and having its other end projecting outwardly of the downstream end of said casing and adapted to be selectively manually manipulated from exteriorly of said casing and downstream of said screen to move said inner member rectilinearly from said first position to said second position.

6. A liquid aerator which may be flushed of liquidborne debris without disconnecting the aerator from a source of liquid to which the aerator connects, said aerator comprising, in combination, an elongated casing having its upstream end adapted for connection to a source of liquid, jet-forming means within said casing for forming the ow of liquid passing therethrough into jets and for mixing the liquid with air that is aspirated into the casing, said jet-forming means including an outer annular member stationed in said casing and an axially movable inner member which in operative condition is supported only by said outer annular member, said inner and outer members having complementary surfaces which, when said inner member is in a first position, define relatively restricted jet-forming liquid flow passageways therebetween, l said l inner f member being ,movable` rectilinearlyv vto a secondpositionY where .said in ner membergisspaced; fromesaid o uter,` member 1 and from said casingfto provide, arelativelyy large and relativel/,un-

obstmctedeannularmow passageway between `said innerstream of said complementary, surfaces and upstream of t theA outlet endY of'- said casingnand against which the 110WVV of liquid jets issuing from said liquid owvpassagewaysis caused to strike to effect break-up of the liquid and mixing of vairf. with liquid, said break-up means ncluding a splash member carried by and positioned downstreamoffsaid inner` member, an annular screen carried bysaid-casing and spaced downstream of said inner and out members and of said splash'member, and an elongatedstem slidably extending through thecentral apertureof vsaid annular screen and being operatively associated .at one end'thereof with said splashY member and having n its, other end projecting -Koutwardly-of; the downs stream `end of -said casingand adapted to' be,l selectively manuallymanipulated from exteriorly of saidgcasing:

and downstream of-said screen to move vsaid Yinnerfme'mf ber rectilinearly fromsaid -rst :position to-said second position.A

i References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,510,395 Goodrie Iu'ue, 1950 f 2,564,060 Gettins Aug. 14, 1951 2,583,234 Russell et al Jan. 22, 1952V 2,624,559 Hyde Ian. 6, 1953Y 2,657,024 Reinecke Oct. 27, 1953 2,688,515 Filliung Sept. 7, 1954 2,707,624 Shames et a1. May 3, 1955 2,761,662 Goodrie Sept. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 492,511 Belgium Dec. 2, 1949 

